95.9 The Ranch-The Ranch Sitdown Podcast

The World Wide Ranch
  • 4.6 (10)
  • MUSIC INTERVIEWS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Check out weekly conversations with some of the biggest names in the Texas/Red Dirt/Americana Music like Koe Wetzel, Cody Canada, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Kylie Frey, and MORE

  1. 2D AGO

    Josh Abbott Reflects on 20 Years in Texas | Episode 351

    Texas country staple Josh Abbott joins Ranch Sitdown to reflect on 20 years in the Texas music scene from writing “She’s Like Texas” to preparing for his Red Rocks debut. Josh shares the real story behind one of the most iconic wedding songs in Texas, the evolution of the Josh Abbott Band, and why his next chapter will feature a more stripped-down, raw sound. He opens up about early touring days in Lubbock, the growth of the Texas country movement, mentoring young artists, navigating a crowded streaming market, and balancing life as a father with life on the road. Josh also performs a brand-new unreleased song, “Prettier With You,” giving listeners a first look at the direction of his upcoming music. If you love Texas country, Red Dirt, and behind-the-scenes stories from one of the genre’s pillars, this is a must-listen episode.

    51 min

  2. JAN 23

    Van Darien Finds Her Way Out of Bummer Town | Ranch Sitdown | Episode 350

    Recorded at AmericanaFest in Nashville, Tennessee, this Ranch Sitdown finds Shayne Hollinger catching up with Texas native Van Darien during a season of major personal and creative change.  Van opens up about getting married, getting sober, and how those life shifts shaped her latest album Bummer Town.  She explains the concept behind the record, describing “Bummer Town” as a mental space rather than a physical place, and how the project serves as a journey out of emotional ruts and into imagination, joy, and healing. The conversation dives into Van’s songwriting process, her collaborations with Daniel Markham and producer Owen Beverly, and her decision to move from Texas to Nashville. She shares what it’s like being a Texas artist navigating the Nashville scene, finding community among fellow Texans, and discovering the city’s underground rock and songwriter culture beyond the mainstream.  Van also reflects on how Nashville brought her unexpected connections, including meeting her husband through the local songwriter circuit, and why maintaining strong ties to Fort Worth allows her to enjoy the best of both worlds. From creative rebirth to personal growth, this sitdown captures Van Darien at a grounded, hopeful point in her journey, with a candid look at music, mental health, and finding your people wherever you land.

    7 min

  3. JAN 15

    Barn Burners & Baby Bottles: A Sitdown with Kylie Frey

    In this episode of The Ranch Sitdown, host Shayne Hollinger runs into Texas country standout Kylie Frey while both are in Nashville, turning an unexpected meeting into a candid, wide-ranging sitdown on music, songwriting, Texas pride, and life’s newest chapters. Kylie opens up about her upcoming music, including a honky-tonk barn burner titled “Fort Worth,” a song she discovered while working with producer Trent Willmon and one that originated from a songwriting circle connected to Cody Johnson. She shares how the track evolved into a duet featuring Randall King, why the song felt like a natural fit for her, and how she’s working with the City of Fort Worth to help promote it, a full-circle moment for a Texas artist deeply rooted in her home state. Kylie also discusses her upcoming six-song EP, recorded while she was pregnant, her work as a songwriter with Carnival Music, and a creative shift toward writing more songs on her own. She reflects on years of co-writing, learning from some of the best writers in the industry, and how stepping into solo writing has been cathartic, grounding, and closer to the reason she started making music in the first place. This sitdown captures an artist in a season of growth, balancing career momentum, creative self-discovery, Texas pride, and motherhood, all while staying true to the sound and spirit that made her who she is.

    6 min

  4. JAN 14

    Ten Years in the Making: A sitdown with Grayson Jenkins

    In this episode of Ranch Sitdown, host Shayne Hollinger sits down with Kentucky-born songwriter Grayson Jenkins to talk about the long road into music, the quiet influences that shaped his sound, and the stories behind his latest album, Country Parables. Grayson reflects on growing up in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, known to many as “Paradise” from the John Prine song, and how early exposure to music videos, Johnny Cash, and church shaped his fascination with storytelling, even before he ever picked up a guitar.  A latecomer to music by his own admission, he shares how college became the turning point, eventually leading him to leave a traditional job and pursue music full time. The conversation dives into the realities of being a working songwriter today: the grind of touring, the financial challenges of the modern music industry, and finding balance after years of playing 100-plus shows annually.  Grayson also opens up about the creative process behind Country Parables, an album years in the making, including songs written as far back as 2016 and the impact of co-producing with Tony Bradshaw. Along the way, Grayson talks about his favorite dive bars and listening rooms, the rich tradition of Kentucky songwriters, comparisons to artists like Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton, and his growing connection to Texas, both musically and personally. It’s an honest, grounded conversation about patience, place, and building a life around songs that mean something.

    7 min

  5. JAN 13

    Fearless Honesty in Country Music: A Sunny Sweeney Sitdown

    On this episode of The Ranch Sitdown, Shayne Hollinger welcomes one of country music’s most fearless truth-tellers, Sunny Sweeney, for a wide-ranging, deeply honest conversation about legacy, independence, and saying exactly what you mean, even when it ruffles feathers. Sunny dives into the heart of her new album Rhinestone Requiem, explaining why it’s the first record she’s made without relationship turmoil weighing her down, and how peace, age, and hard-earned clarity have shaped her writing. She opens up about life on the road with her longtime bandmate and partner, choosing partnership over tradition, and why marriage simply isn’t part of her story anymore. The sitdown moves effortlessly between humor and gravity as Sunny reflects on aging in the music industry, being unapologetically herself at 48, and why vulnerability gets easier when you stop caring about other people’s expectations. She shares behind-the-scenes stories about discovering forgotten country songs at 3 a.m., recording deep cuts once made famous by legends, and how YouTube rabbit holes still influence her creative process. Sunny also unpacks the now-infamous Nashville billboards, including the bold statement “Country is not a costume” and why she was willing to spend her own money to make noise, start conversations, and stand up for traditional country music in a modern industry. From major-label lessons to the freedom (and financial reality) of being fully independent, she explains why doing things her way is the only way that works. The conversation takes an unexpected turn into musical theater, where Sunny reveals how a single Instagram post manifested her latest passion project: Stardust Riders, a country-fueled musical about aliens chasing a record deal in Nashville, with Sunny writing and producing the music alongside her partner. To close, Sunny speaks candidly about the double standards women face in country music, the pressure to be palatable, and why she feels fiercely protective of young female artists coming up behind her.  With sharp wit, heartfelt stories, and live performances woven throughout, this Ranch Sitdown is classic Sunny Sweeney, honest, hilarious, fearless, and unmistakably country.

    43 min

  6. JAN 13

    Loud Country & Hard Lessons: A sitdown with Travis Roberts

    In this episode of Ranch Sitdown, host Shayne Hollinger welcomes Amarillo, Texas singer-songwriter Travis Roberts, whose debut album Rebel Rose is already turning heads across the Texas Americana and alt-country scenes. Travis opens the sitdown with a powerful acoustic performance and dives deep into the stories behind Rebel Rose, an album recorded largely live with a tight circle of collaborators including Dalton Domino, PH Naffah, and Jeff Linsenmaier-Briolt. He reflects on growing up in the Bible Belt, learning to pack entire lifetimes into three-minute songs, and why his music leans as heavily into punk and rock as it does country tradition. The conversation explores Travis’ early influences, from Copperhead Road to pop-punk and emo records, and how that blend led Rolling Stone to say he’s “emphasizing the alt in alt-country.” He talks candidly about addiction, recovery, and how songwriting became both survival and salvation, including the raw, one-take recording of “All My Friends.” Travis also shares behind-the-scenes stories from making his debut record, including writing with Ray Wylie Hubbard, cutting a rare “industry cut,” and learning just how many unseen hands it takes to bring an album into the world. From Amarillo’s dive bars on Route 66 to major press attention before turning 25, this sitdown captures an artist at the beginning of a remarkable journey. The episode closes with Travis performing the title track “Rebel Rose” and reflecting on how loud country, hard lessons, and honest storytelling continue to shape who he is, both on and off the stage.

    29 min

  7. JAN 12

    The Ranch Sitdown: Jesse Daniel on Authenticity and Americana

    Recorded live in Nashville during AmericanaFest, this Ranch Sitdown finds Shayne Hollinger catching up with Jesse Daniel in the middle of one of the busiest and most exciting weeks on the Americana calendar. Jesse talks about playing songwriter rounds and showcases around town, the evolving spirit of AmericanaFest, and why this year felt especially meaningful for artists on the circuit. Jesse opens up about what “Americana” really means to him, describing it as a wide-open umbrella for American roots music that blends country, blues, folk, rock, and everything in between. He shares insight into his latest music, including the powerful duet recorded with Charles Wesley Godwin, and explains why that song’s message about time, family, and intentional living continues to resonate so deeply with audiences. The conversation dives into Jesse’s songwriting process, from writing instinctively when inspiration strikes to co-writing many of his songs with his fiancée. He reflects on growing up in a musical household in rural California, learning drums at a young age, playing punk and rock bands, and watching his father perform, moments that shaped his lifelong connection to music and the stage. As the sitdown wraps, Jesse talks candidly about reaching a turning point as an artist: tuning out outside expectations, writing honestly for himself, and finding peace in making records on his own terms. It’s a thoughtful, grounded conversation about authenticity, growth, and staying true to your roots, both musically and personally.

    12 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    Kaitlin Butts Sitdown: Record Deals, Road Life, and What Comes Next

    Kaitlin Butts sits down with Shayne Hollinger for a wide-open conversation about what it really feels like when a song explodes online. Kaitlin breaks down the unexpected second life of “You Ain’t Gotta Die to Be Dead to Me,” what it’s like seeing influencers and celebrities use your track everywhere you scroll, and why she’s grateful the viral moment came after years of building real experience.  They also get real about protecting your peace when the internet turns loud, how she handles negative comments, why she’s been vocal about sexism in the space, and the mindset shift that keeps her focused on the people who actually show up for the music. From karaoke nights and her go-to “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing,” to the surprising moment that made Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” hit her like a brand-new song, Kaitlin shares the story behind turning it into a staple of her live set.  Plus: Kaitlin performs an acoustic snippet of “The Middle” right in the studio, talks Texas and Fort Worth feeling like home, and runs through what’s ahead, Billy Bob’s Texas, the Ryman, NFR in Las Vegas, touring with Lainey Wilson in Australia, a run with Molly Tuttle, and a brand-new record deal with new music in the works.

    22 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
10 Ratings

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Check out weekly conversations with some of the biggest names in the Texas/Red Dirt/Americana Music like Koe Wetzel, Cody Canada, Randy Rogers, Wade Bowen, Kylie Frey, and MORE

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